Albert S. Henderson Photograph Collection (PH-00317)

Las Vegas, Nevada district judge Albert Scott Henderson, commonly known as A. S. or Bert, was born in Eureka, Nevada on November 2, 1879. He was the son of a Canadian who moved to Nevada to take advantage of the rapidly growing mining industry. At age 15, Henderson served in his first public office position as secretary to the Lander County Republican Convention. Henderson graduated from high school in 1897 and began working as a teacher before becoming principal, and later president of the school board. In 1910, he relocated to the Las Vegas, Nevada area.

Henderson received his formal education from the University of Nevada in Reno and began his political career after his admittance into the Nevada Bar Association in 1908. He was a member of the Nevada Legislature from 1921 to 1923, and speaker of the assembly from 1923 to 1925. He served as a Nevada State Senator from 1927 to 1929 and 1931 to 1933. Henderson was instrumental in writing much of the legislation concerning Boulder Dam. In addition, he served as an advisor to the Colorado River Commission and was a Clark County district attorney and Las Vegas city attorney. In 1946, Governor Vail Pittman appointed Henderson as a district judge. Henderson was re-elected repeatedly to this position, until he retired on October 31, 1960.

Henderson was married to Roseilla Wadsworth from 1905 until her death in 1940. They had two daughters, Wanda Pegram and Alice Doll. In 1941, A. S. Henderson married Ena Russell. A. S. Henderson died on November 13, 1961 at age 82, and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Las Vegas.

Source:

Albert S. Henderson Papers, 1879-1962. MS-00191. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.